Jestha Varna Mahavihar in Lalitpur Wins 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award

Jestha Varna Mahavihar in Lalitpur, Nepal wins a 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award. The Nepalese Buddhist monastery is rebuilt with Indian assistance after the 2015 earthquake and is recognised for combining modern earthquake safety upgrades with preservation of traditional architecture and Newari woodcarvings.

Jestha Varna Mahavihar (Jyaba Bahi) :

Dimension	Key Details
Award	Has won a 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award.
Alternative name	Is also known as Jyaba Bahi.
Type and century	Is a 17th century Buddhist monastery.
Location	Is located in Lalitpur, Nepal, 300 meters from the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square.
Reason for recognition	Provides for a community centered approach by combining modern earthquake safety upgrades with preservation of traditional architecture and detailed historical Newari woodcarvings.
Technical expertise	Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage serves as the project management consultant.
Architecture	Comprises a traditional Bahi layout: a perfectly square quadrangle with a main shrine and an adjoining sattal (rest house), surrounding a sunken central courtyard.
Associated community	Newar Buddhist community is associated with this monastery.
Newar Buddhist community	Comprises the indigenous people of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, and practices a unique, householder-based Vajrayana tradition.
Reconstruction trigger	Has been rebuilt with Indian assistance after the 2015 earthquake.